1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fuse-less ballistic explosive projectile which includes a mass arranged in the projectile tip and which detonates upon impact, a bursting charge located in a hollow space within the projectile body, and optionally a tracer portion, wherein the mass is in communication with the bursting charge portion of claim 1.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Fuse-less ballistic explosive projectiles which are fired from barrel-type weapons are known. A ballistic projectile for a machine cannon is known from German published specification (DE-AS) No. 1 952 494. It does not have a mechanical fuse. The projectile has two firing charges which are connected one behind the other by a passage. A support disc provided with the passage carries the front firing charge which fires upon impact. That firing charge is in the form of a homogeneous body and is disposed centrally in the projectile cap which is screwed to the projectile body, under the contact pressure of the protective disc. The rear firing charge bears at the bottom against an explosive or bursting charge. By virtue of the two firing charges which burn with a time delay, the bursting charge is set off with a corresponding delay. The volume of the bursting charge is small so that the fragments are generated only from the approximately central part of the projectile body.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,217,645 shows a projectile with a detonating or primer charge arranged in the tip of the projectile, and a bursting charge which can be set off by the detonating charge. Inserted in the detonating charge is a hard body which, upon impact of the projectile, moves as a consequence of its inertia towards the tip of the projectile and fires the detonating charge. A projectile of that kind is intended for weapon calibres of between 6 and 15 mm. When using larger calibres with correspondingly high levels of feed and firing acceleration there is the danger of premature detonation.
A further fuse-less explosive projectile with delayed initiation of the bursting charge is known from DE 24 23 920 C2. A relatively large firing charge is set off by a detonation agent upon projectile impact. The firing charge then fires the explosive charge which is of approximately the same size in terms of volume. In order to reduce the long delay in firing by virtue of the large firing charge, the firing charge has at least one hole in order to increase its burning surface area and thus to reduce its burning time. The fragmentation effect of a projectile of that kind is slight as the bursting charge makes up only about a third of the entire length of the projectile.
A short delay time for initiation of the bursting charge in a fuse-less ballistic explosive projectile in accordance with DE 24 23 921 C1 is achieved by a metal body arranged at the detonation agent side being shot by a propellant charge into a firing charge to produce a hole. The effective length of the part of the firing charge, that still has to be burnt away and which extends approximately from the bottom of the hole to the bursting charge, results in a reduction in the delay time. In this case also the bursting charge is only about a third of the total length of the projectile so that the fragmentation effect of the projectile is relatively slight.